Kanye does it Again

Popular rapper pleads no contest in misdemeanor battery against paparazzo

It should come as no surprise to anyone that Hollywood has a crime problem. People will often read or listen to reports of the most recent celebrity arrest and relish it, scooping up popcorn by the handful with wild grins painted on their faces. While this is all fun and good, it is important to remember that the people behind our screens are real, just as the people they often hurt prove to be.

On January 13th, conflict arose in the Los Angeles International Airport when Kim Kardashian and a young paparazzo, Daniel Ramos, got into a rather heavy argument. During this dispute, the man began using racist slurs against the famous socialite. In response, Kardashian called up her fiancée, Mr. Kanye West, and told him what happened. Completely outraged, the rapper found Ramos and attacked him in a Beverly Hills chiropractic office.

West pleaded no contest to assault and battery on March 17, maintaining his innocence. West entered the plea through his attorney and failed to attend the court hearing, highlighting a severe lack of character on the musician's part. Ramos, however, attended the court hearing alongside his own attorney in an attempt to sue the popular rapper. While he may not have been charged with a felony, as many desired him to be, West was given two years of probation, 24 anger management sessions, and 250 hours of community service.

According to Ramos, this simply is not enough. "If I did what he did to me," he claimed, "I'd be behind bars." While Ramos' comments toward Kardashian were certainly less than acceptable, they do not excuse physical violence from a legal perspective.

This case is nothing new to Hollywood; West himself has been sued multiple times for battery and has failed to receive strict legal punishment in any case. Just the same, celebrities such as Hugh Grant, Snoop Dogg, and the infamous Justin Bieber are known for receiving minimal punishments for their crimes in the court of law.